MINNEAPOLIS — There is a rich history of stand-up in Minnesota.
Famous comedians like Mitch Hedberg, Nick Swardson and Maria Bamford all come from the state. Another big name in the comedy world is Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis.
That’s what author Patrick Strait spotlights in his new book Home Club.
Years ago, Strait wrote a book called Funny Thing About Minnesota..., which explored the history of stand-up comedy in the state. There was a chapter dedicated to the Acme Comedy Co., and Strait thought it had an interesting story.
Strait told "Area Voices" on the KAXE Morning Show that the more research he did on the club, the more he realized there’s enough of a story to fill another book. He explores how the club got started, how it found success, how it stayed afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it’s stayed fresh and innovative in the comedy world for so long.
Owner Louis Lee and other Acme characters
The owner of Acme Comedy Co. is Louis Lee, who immigrated to America from Hong Kong when he was 18. He has gained a reputation as a respected and well-known comedy booker and club owner. It would be difficult to tell the story of Acme without his side of things.
Strait said Lee was really interested in telling the story of Acme, and maybe a little less interested in talking about himself. However, Strait thought his part was important in the history of the club and eventually convinced Lee to share his personal story.
When Strait approached Lee about focusing an entire book on the club, his only concern was that he didn’t want an infomercial for the club. So, Strait interviewed comedians, former bookers and club staff to include more voices. Lee wasn’t interested in a final edit or rebuttal; he wanted honest recollections. If that was their version of the story, print it.
Appreciation for comedy, Acme and Minnesota stories
Strait loves stand-up comedy, and that’s what compelled him to write two books about it.
“I don't need to be actively involved in it, but I want to know the story. I want to be able to tell that story to other people, too," he said.
"... I think that when you're doing a piece of history like this, you have to be interested in the topic yourself. If you're not excited about it, nobody's going to want to read it because they're gonna be like, ‘Well, this guy doesn't care. So why am I going to care?’”
While researching and interviewing, Strait heard a lot of wild stories and had some notable surprises. One was finding out how close the club was to closing in 2020. In the wake of a pandemic and the George Floyd protests, Lee was ready to call it quits. It was a chance conversation Lee had with his daughter that kept the club going.
“Had it not been for that, I don't think we'd be talking right now," Strait said. "I don't think there's an Acme Comedy Co. ... So that was very surprising to me.”
Another thing that surprised Strait were the business decisions Lee made throughout the years. For example, in the '90s, Lee was living paycheck to paycheck but still had fundraisers for organizations like the Aliveness Project, which does HIV advocacy work.
“In the '90s, that was still considered a little bit taboo," Strait said.
"... Those weren't organizations that a lot of people were talking about, and he right away was like this is an organization that's important to me. I want to help.”
Strait was also impressed with Lee’s commitment to comedians with an artistic voice. Even if a stand-up would cause people to leave, if Lee thought they were creative and unique, he would book them again.
“That's as punk rock as it gets," Strait said. "He was very much about bucking the system, and he didn't care about what was the right business decision. He cared about was the right artistic decision.”
There are two things Strait hopes people take away from the book: an appreciation for comedy and an appreciation for Acme Comedy Co.'s 30-plus years of quality shows.
“Tastes change. People change. I mean, the world changes. What people think is funny changes. To have a club that can still do it and do it to this level after all this time, that's not normal," Strait said. "That's something that I think people should see just how special it is and hopefully wanna come check out a show.”
Home Club is available at most major book retailer websites and at the Minnesota Historical Society website. Strait said that even if you don't consider yourself a stand-up fan, there’s a lot to enjoy in this book.
“It's not necessarily a stand-up comedy story," he explained. "It's a perseverance story. It's an art story. It's a Minnesota story.”
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
